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Here’s what I need people to understand about the “federal officers snatching protesters into unmarked vans” story:
None of it felt surprising to folks who have been out here since June. All of the individual elements had already been happening.
A small thread.
None of it felt surprising to folks who have been out here since June. All of the individual elements had already been happening.
A small thread.
Portland Police has already established a precedent that law enforcement doesn’t need to identify themselves in any way: https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2020/07/for-portland-police-to-provide-the-name-of-an-officer-at-protests-you-have-to-give-them-the-officers-names-first.html?outputType=amp
Since June, there were already a myriad of different law enforcement agencies making appearances at the protests, without any clear way to determine which agency they were from: https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/06/use-of-outside-agencies-during-portland-protests-sparks-questions-over-accountability-and-transparency.html?outputType=amp
Federal officers have been here for a week, arresting several protesters. Some were arrested by being physically dragged into the federal courthouse. https://www.opb.org/news/article/federal-law-enforcement-agencies-deployed-to-portland-protests-federal-buildings-personnel/
Before federal officers started dragging people into unmarked vans, PPB was pulling civilians out of their cars if they drove too close to the protests.
https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1276591300570157057?s=20 https://twitter.com/joshuapotash/status/1276591300570157057
https://twitter.com/JoshuaPotash/status/1276591300570157057?s=20 https://twitter.com/joshuapotash/status/1276591300570157057
Protesters, medics, journalists, observers and passerby were already being arrested for no discernible reason while peacefully complying with local or federal orders. Too many instances to count here.
Protesters and other Portlanders were already being mistreated while in holding / booking / jail! I don’t have published links for this yet but I’m hoping to really soon.
What’s new here? This didn’t happen overnight. This is the natural escalation of the last 7 weeks.
This is what has come of Portlanders protesting police brutality for 50 days: more bizarre acts of police brutality.
Portlanders are risking everything every day. Please notice.
This is what has come of Portlanders protesting police brutality for 50 days: more bizarre acts of police brutality.
Portlanders are risking everything every day. Please notice.
Also hello I’m a freelance journalist with national bylines and y’all can interview me or hire me or ask me for sources! If I’m busy I will connect you to someone else who has been here every night.
PS: i truly cannot emphasize enough how weird it is to be tear gassed by unidentifiable federal officers for standing on the sidewalk in downtown Portland, during a pandemic that affects the lungs, while doing my job, and just be like “yup seems like a Thursday.”
Also I am always begging you to tip your indie journalists but I also want to thank reporters like @k_rambo_ @EvertonBailey @bethnakamura @MollyHarbarger at the O, @alex_zee @BlairStenvick at the Mercury, @_jlevinson @conradjwilson @Rjaellis at OPB, & more for their hard work.
Wow, this is really doing the rounds, so I'm going to tell y'all how to tip again! There's a whole spreadsheet of how to support independent journalists who have been out here every night without a paycheck / health insurance / etc. PLEASE TIP THEM. https://twitter.com/imlaceyimfine/status/1274177975903084544
